16-Hit Outing Guides Baseball to 9-7 Win at Monmouth

Behind early offensive production and a 16-hit outing, the Princeton baseball team topped Monmouth 9-7 in non-conference action Wednesday in West Long Branch, N.J. Five Tigers had multi-hit performances led by freshman Danny Hoy’s four-hit five-RBI afternoon.

Turning Point of the Game: Up 2-1 heading to the fourth, a Hoy RBI double, Ford RBI single and a run off a wild pitch put Princeton up 5-1. The run differential and offensive burst midgame proved to not be enough, as the Hawks squared things up, 6-6, in the eighth.

With the game on the line in the final frame, the Tigers relied on a final offensive rally to come away with the victory. Hoy reestablished Princeton’s advantage with a one out bases loaded single through the right side to send home a pair of runs. Following was Ford who reached on a fielder’s choice and the Tigers managed to tack on a third run off an infield error by the Hawks.

Sophomore Danny Thomson earned his first save in the bottom half of the frame giving up a run and two of hits, while striking out a pair.

Player of the Game: Hoy has served as the Tigers number two batter for much of the year. The second baseman went 4-for-6 with five RBI and two runs to lead the squad at the plate. The Tiger rookie had a pair of doubles and knocked in his second home run of the year.

Pitchers of the Game: The bookends of the game, starting pitcher Tyler Foote and relievers Michael Fagan and Thomson produced solid outings on the mound.

Foote paced Princeton with six innings, scattering six hits and allowing only two runs during that span to preserve the Tigers’ lead. He also struck out two in 24 batters faced.

As the game progressed and Monmouth fought back to tie things up, the Tigers final two hurlers captained the defensive efforts to help guide Princeton to the victory. Fagan earned his first win of the year, tossing the eighth inning. He held the Hawks scoreless and hitless, striking out two and giving up a walk.

Thomson picked up the team’s first save of 2013 and the first of his career with his ninth inning two-hit two-strikeout frame. He gave up one run, but managed to get out of the inning to preserve Princeton’s run differential.

Noteables: Princeton did not commit an error Wednesday, while Monmouth made four. The Tigers had committed at least an error in their last four outings.

On Deck: Princeton (8-20, 5-3 Ivy) opens Gehrig Division play this weekend with a four-game series at Penn from Apr. 13-14